X-Men (6th series) #14

'Lose the gay angle' a bald man remarks as he sits slumped in his chair beyind his desk. As others go about their business in the office around him, a woman wearing a yellow blouse stands in front of the desk, arms folded, she replies 'Sorry – come again?' The bald man looks unimpressed and holds a tablet in his hand as he asks the woman if “Gay mutant hero” really matters to the story. The woman takes the tablet, which depicts a photograph of Iceman battling the Progenitor, and the bald man states that there was a big threat from the sun, people were at risk and the crisis was averted – at least for the moment.

(Earlier)

At the edge of Earth's sun, a spaceship darts around the glowing source of life. 'We're as far into the chromosphere as we dare go! Ready to fire!' a voice calls out as a large missile is fired from the spaceship. The missile approaches the sun and then when it strikes, a large plume of black smoke can be seen rising from the sun. 'It won't take long for this star to collapse' one of the blue-skinned aliens states. 'What were the latest Gameworld odds for destroying Earth?' another alien, manning the ship's controls, asks. 'We just got rich, boys!' another calls out, when suddenly, 'Bad news, bad boys' Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik exclaims as she teleports into the spaceship with Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops at her side. 'Gameworld is out of business!' Cyclops announces. One of the aliens cries out as Magik grabs him and places her flaming Soulsword to his neck. 'Now we're a little busy with some Celestial stuff at the moment, so be quick. What'd you just dunk into our sun?' Magik asks.

'They're outnumbered two to one' one of the aliens exclaims, raising a weapon attached to his wrist. 'They can't take us all!' another calls out. 'Nice helmets' Cyclops responds as he fires an optic blast at one of the alien's helmets, the optic blast then rebounds off of the helmet and strikes all of the other aliens, knocking their helmets from their heads. 'How the flark -?' one of the surprised aliens utters. 'Now we're seeing why those odds were so tempting on Earth. I told you this was a bad score' another remarks. 'Show off' Magik smiles at Cyclops, who tells her 'When you grew up fighting Magneto, shooting metal helmets off is a real handy trick shot'. Cyclops turns to one of the aliens and tells him that before he starts shooting heads off, he wants to know what was put into the sun. 'A flare generator – meant to bathe Terra in fire' one of the aliens reveals, as an explosion rises from the sun and heads towards Earth.

'Head's up X-Men – you only have -' Cyclops calls out via communicator.

Back on Krakoa, the rest of the X-Men are defending the mutant nation from Eternal attack. Jean Grey hovers above the island while mutants can be seen running to safety below her. Jean telepathically contacts Bishop and informs him that more Eternals are approaching Krakoa from the south shore, and that there are wounded who are cut off from escape. Jean then picks up on Cyclops' distress warning and tells him that she hears him. 'Iceman, I need you' Jean telepathically calls out to her longtime friend and teammate. 'On the move to you, Jean' Bobby Drake a.k.a. Iceman replies as he encases an Eternal in solid ice, another can be seen nearby already trapped within the ice.

A moment later, Bobby arrives on his ice-sled and Jean informs him that another front has opened – an extinction-level event from their own sun. 'I'll give you the download' Jean eclaims as she telepathically brings Iceman up to speed on what's going on. 'Oh, wow' Bobby utters, before Jean uses her telekinesis to lift Bobby into orbit. High above the Earth, Bobby looks on and sees the fiery blaze looming towards him. He remarks that the size of the coronal mass ejection could finish what the humans have started on the atmosphere. 'I'll try to make a shield above the planet' Bobby reports, adding that this will make another hazard with the amount of ice that he needs, and suggests to Jean that she tell to put his thinking bandana on.

'I know' Jean responds, before informing Iceman that Firestar is on deck. Jean's astral form appears before Angelica Jones a.k.a. Firestar, who, displaying her new costume, is using her powers against some Eternals who have arrived on Krakoa. 'Where to?' Firestar asks. 'Up' Jean tells her, pointing to the sky. 'Oh my god! Is that ice gonna stay in orbit?' Firestar asks wide-eyed as she looks up at the ice which begins to cover the airspace above Krakoa. 'Long enough to be the planet's airbag in the crash we're about to be in. And when the sky falls... it's your turn' Jean declares, before reporting that the American midwest is likely to be their largest debris field. Firestar flies through a Krakoan portal and arrives in Chicago. Angelia remarks to herself that she loves this time of year, and takes to the sky, announcing that she will be ready.

Back on the shores of Krakoa, Forge walks across the sand, where he has drawn some configurations with a stick. He tells Iceman that his thinking bandana is always on, and reports that he has been doing some calculations on how thick the ice should be. He asks Jean to get ready to upload that information to Iceman, and notes that the storm is going to be hell for anyone in orbit.

'Time?' Iceman asks as he continues to create a massive ice-shield in space. 'Two minutes to contact, and here's some data from Forge' Iceman remarks that he can already feel gravity pulling him down. As he passes under a space station, Iceman reports that he can see the I.S.S. above him and asks if someone has a plan for them. 'Yep! This is Magik. I'm making a pit stop' Magik announces through the telepathic link-up between the team. Magik and Cyclops teleport onto the space station and Magik finds the astronauts aboard. 'Hey, space folks – come with me if you want to live!' Cyclops and can be seen battling the aliens, and Magik tells the astronauts not to mind the brawl.

A short moment later, Iceman reports that he has made the ice about as dense as his head. 'You guys get the astronauts home?' he asks. In Chicago, Magik's stepping disk opens and Magik, Cyclops, the astronauts and the aliens drop down onto Earth. 'You're creating a nice little eclipse down here' Magik tells Iceman, while Cyclops asks him what they can do for him. 'Hope for the best – I've made contact with the flare' Iceman responds as he the solar flare begins to start melting his ice form. 'Here comes the sun!' Iceman exclaims as the solar flare loom over him. In Chicago, Magik and Cyclops look up at the sky, which glows green as the solar flare connects with the ice shield – which then shatters.

'The outer edge of the flare has been deflected, but more is on the way!' someone calls out via the telepathic link. Firestar arrives at the shattered ice shield and jokes 'This is some hail from hell' She begins firing blasting the shattered ice with microwave energy and tells her teammates that she doesn't know if she can catch it all. Jean tells Firestar that they have her back, as she, Synch and Rogue will be clocking in with her telekinesis. The three of them can be seen headed into the atmosphere, where Everett Thomas a.k.a. Synch asks Rogue if she didn't just leave this party. 'Yah never leave the X-Men' Rogue responds.

Iceman continues to prepare for the rest of the incoming solar flare, and from an ice asteroid where he stands, he fires another powerful surge of ice above him to act as shield from the deadly solar flare. 'Then we're cool' Iceman adds as he struggles against the solar flare, which knocks him back into Earth's gravity. 'If you look up, you'll see a very handsome angel falling to Earth' Iceman tells his teammates, adding that he will be right down, as he begins to fall through space along with more ice shards from the ice shield. 'Yo, Firestar' Iceman calls out as he drops towards his friend. 'Hey, bud' Firestar calls out as she blasts another piece of ice. 'Nice shooting' Iceman remarks, while Firestar flies above Iceman, who lands on an ice-sled, and tells him what he did was incredible. 'Well done' she adds. Iceman remarks that Firestar didn't do so bad herself, and as Firestar flies alongside Iceman's ice-sled, Iceman remarks thatb they saved the day, but that he hopes everyone appreciates that they did it with style, while a rainbow appears above them, extending all the way down to Earth.

Firestar and Iceman drop down in Chicago, and Firestar remarks that she has never helped make a rainbow before. 'Actually, I've never made anything with my power – er, gift' she adds, to which Iceman jokes that the Bifrost has nothing on them.

'Excuse me, excuse me!' a reporter calls out as she rushes over and asks Iceman if he has time for a few questions. Iceman stands before the Krakoan portal, while some anti-mutant protestors gather nearby, waving signs that read “God hates muties”. Magik stands behind one of the protestors and scrawls “Magik was here” over the sign in permanent marker, as Iceman tells the reporter that he doesn't have time really, but that she has until he walks through the gate to continue fighting the Eternals. Iceman then pauses, before smiling and declaring that he does have something to say right now.

(Now)

The reporter tells her editor to print the piece and the interview as is with her name, or else she will withdraw it. 'Iceman just saved most of the planet, and the least we can do is not erase his existence' she exclaims. She remarks that Iceman did what he did because it's what he does – and she is telling his truth because it's what she does. 'I will not erase truth to coddle the small-minded' the reporter adds. 'Yeah, okay. The gay stays in' the editor mutters, putting his hands behind his head and remarking that he wishes he could remember when exactly it was that they all became so judgmental.

Meanwhile, in the Arctic, Cyclops walks towards the Progenitor, while snow flurries around him. 'You know who I am...I didn't want you to think that I forgot about you' Cyclops tells the large Celestial, who responds 'Cyclops of Krakoa. You are to be judged!' the Progenitor announces. 'Uh-huh' Cyclops smiles. 'You are -' the Progenitor begins, to which Cyclops interrupts him: 'I will be judged, but I don't recognize your authority. I request a change of venue' – which surprises the Progenitor, who pauses, hand ready to either give the thumbs up or thumbs down sign, he asks 'What?' to which Cyclops tells the Progenitor that the only person alive who can judge him is his wife, Jean Grey. 'If you want to meet her...I can arrange that' Cyclops offers, adding that he would also maybe take a scolding from his teammates, the X-Men. The Progenitor's eyes glow, but he still holds his hand, not ready to give the thumbs up or thumbs down sign.

Until, Cyclops... of Krakoa... you are judged' the Progenitor announces as he gives Cyclops the thumbs up signal. Cyclops smiles and walks away from the Progenitor, suggesting to him that if he keeps that thumb up, they will not have to meet again.